New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-08-25

| No careful political observer will be swift
| to conclude that the bolt of the Socialists viii
greatly diminish the vote of the Labor party
1t is by no means sure, on the other hand.
| that it may not increase it. 1t Is true that
| the Socialists are in bitter earnest, as their
meeting showed Oh Monday night Whatever
vote their organization controls, and what
ever vote they can influence by speeches and
through their newspapers will undoubtedly be
cast against the Labor ticket But the vote
which they can control now is hardly less
vague and indcterminate quantity than that
which they can hope TO convert hereafter. They
have never succeeded in making even re-
spectacle showing whenever they have run
candidates of their own in the local elections.
The noise they make during the campaign
will probably be found to be out OF all pro
portion to the votes they cast. Then, too.
it must be remembered that their opposition
will strengthen Henry George among reab
workingmen who are at all inclined to SYM
pathize with him. AS between the Socialists
and the Labor party, every work
ingman who has any Intelligence or patriotism
whatever will be prompt to turn his back on
the party that flies the red flag.
The future of the Labor party is subject
for interesting spccdIation-all the more 50 be
cause. as a State organization, it is n new
BIRTH The vote which appears in the election
returns of last year as that of the Labor party
Or. as it ought to be called, the George ..
Jones palty-was only 2,766 in the
whole State, less than onc-thlrd Oh
one per cent of the total vote. Al the same
time Mr. Georges vote for Mayor OF this city,
the undoubted basis of the new party, was
68, ITO. Now the question that every pol
itician must find Of deep interest is, How much
Of this vote can Mr. George hope to repeat III
this city as a candidate for Secretary OF State.
aud how much can he hope to add TO 1t out
side? 1t is likely that the only prophecies OF
much value on this point will be those made
on the night after election. There are, prdctl-
caly, no statistics TO guide us. Labor parties
of various kinds have had a more or less Gtiul
existence for a number of years, sometimes
running legislative candidates in districts
where they were strong, sometimes joining
with the Greenbacllers upon a State ticket
But none of these instances affords any basis
Of calculation for the present movement.
which has a vigor all It's own. The only
phenomenon in recent State politics which
bears any comparison with 1t was the sudden
looming up of a Grccnback vote In 1873 OF
1913, whereas the Workingmcns vote the
year before had been only 2O,2S2. But thls
was only temporary rag money dciuslon'
The following year the sunshine oil resumption
melted the column down, until the combined
National and Worfingmen's vote stood abou!
where the Workingmen's vote was in 1917.
And the highest Grcenback Or Labor vote cash
since that time was General Buffers vote OF
1886 in 1884
II il evident that calculations on the George
vote must begin with clean slate. 1t may
be that it will not be so large in this city as II
was last year. Part Of it undoubtedly came
from Young men who had read his books and
had admired his intellectual ability though
thew NAV not always have accepted his opin-
ions. Part of 1t was probably humorous vot-
ing. Some of our voters are liable to attacks
of that kind in off years. Many Of these votes
might not be cast a second time. But George
could lose something of his vote in this city
and yet if he received anything like pro-
portionate vote in the cities throughout the
State where the labor organizations are found.
his vote might easily be very large for new
party. 1t must be borne In mind that the
labor organizations will furnish a rcady-made
political machine to the new party throughout
the State, Just as they did III this city last
fall. Tho fact that the Democratic factions
here arc evidently scared out OF all Thought
of running rival local tickets Is highly signil-
cant: and the private talk Of some OF their
leading men shows that they expect George
70 ,1oIl haavy vote in the State.